The invention relates to compositions and methods for use in limiting undesired bone loss in a vertebrate at risk of such bone loss, in treating conditions that are characterized by undesired bone loss or by the need for bone growth, in treating fractures, and in treating cartilage disorders. More specifically, the invention concerns the use of specific classes of compounds identified or characterized by a high throughput screening assay.
Bone is not a static tissue. It is subject to constant breakdown and resynthesis in a complex process mediated by osteoblasts, which produce new bone, and osteoclasts, which destroy bone. The activities of these cells are regulated by a large number of cytokines and growth factors, many of which have now been identified and cloned. Mundy has described the current knowledge related to these factors (Mundy, G. R. Clin Orthop 324:24-28, 1996, Mundy, G. R. J Bone Miner Res 8:S505-10, 1993).
Although there is a great deal of information available on the factors which influence the breakdown and resorption of bone, information on growth factors which stimulate the formation of new bone is more limited. Investigators have searched for sources of such activities, and have found that bone tissue itself is a storehouse for factors which have the capacity for stimulating bone cells. Thus, extracts of bovine bone tissue obtained from slaughterhouses contain not only structural proteins which are responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of bone, but also biologically active bone growth factors which can stimulate bone cells to proliferate. Among these latter factors are transforming growth factor xcex2, the heparin-binding growth factors (acidic and basic fibroblast growth factor), the insulin-like growth factors (insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor II), and a recently described family of proteins called bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). All of these growth factors have effects on other types of cells, as well as on bone cells.
The BMPs are novel factors in the extended transforming growth factor xcex2 superfamily. They were first identified by Wozney J. et al. Science (1988) 242:1528-34, using gene cloning techniques, following earlier descriptions characterizing the biological activity in extracts of demineralized bone (Urist M. Science (1965) 150:893-99). Recombinant BMP2 and BMP4 can induce new bone formation when they are injected locally into the subcutaneous tissues of rats (Wozney J. Molec Reprod Dev (1992) 32:160-67). These factors are expressed by normal osteoblasts as they differentiate, and have been shown to stimulate osteoblast differentiation and bone nodule formation in vitro as well as bone formation in vivo (Harris S. et al. J. Bone Miner Res (1994) 9:855-63). This latter property suggests potential usefulness as therapeutic agents in diseases which result in bone loss.
The cells which are responsible for forming bone are osteoblasts. As osteoblasts differentiate from precursors to mature bone-forming cells, they express and secrete a number of enzymes and structural proteins of the bone matrix, including Type-1 collagen, osteocalcin, osteopontin and alkaline phosphatase (Stein G. et al. Curr Opin Cell Biol (1990) 2:1018-27, Harris S. et al. (1994), supra). They also synthesize a number of growth regulatory peptides which are stored in the bone matrix, and are presumably responsible for normal bone formation. These growth regulatory peptides include the BMPs (Harris S. et at (1994), supra). In studies of primary cultures of fetal rat calvarial osteoblasts, BMPs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are expressed by cultured cells prior to the formation of mineralized bone nodules (Harris S. et al. (1994), supra). Like alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin, the BMPs are expressed by cultured osteoblasts as they proliferate and differentiate.
Although the BMPs are potent stimulators of bone formation in vitro and in vivo, there are disadvantages to their use as therapeutic agents to enhance bone healing. Receptors for the bone morphogenetic proteins have been identified in many tissues, and the BMPs themselves are expressed in a large variety of tissues in specific temporal and spatial patterns. This suggests that BMPs may have effects on many tissues other than bone, potentially limiting their usefulness as therapeutic agents when administered systemically. Moreover, since they are peptides, they would have to be administered by injection. These disadvantages impose severe limitations to the development of BMPs as therapeutic agents.
There is a plethora of conditions which are characterized by the need to enhance bone formation. Perhaps the most obvious is the case of bone fractures, where it would be desirable to stimulate bone growth and to hasten and complete bone repair. Agents that enhance bone formation would also be useful in facial reconstruction procedures. Other bone deficit conditions include bone segmental defects, periodontal disease, metastatic bone disease, osteolytic bone disease and conditions where connective tissue repair would be beneficial, such as healing or regeneration of cartilage defects or injury. Also of great significance is the chronic condition of osteoporosis, including age-related osteoporosis and osteoporosis associated with postmenopausal hormone status. Other conditions characterized by the need for bone growth include primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism, disuse osteoporosis, diabetes-related osteoporosis, and glucocorticoid-related osteoporosis. In addition, or alternatively, the compounds of the present invention may modulate metabolism, proliferation and/or differentiation of normal or aberrant cells or tissues.
There are currently no satisfactory pharmaceutical approaches to managing any of these conditions. Bone fractures are still treated exclusively using casts, braces, anchoring devices and other strictly mechanical means. Further bone deterioration associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis has been decreased or prevented with estrogens or bisphosphonates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,040 discloses a class of compounds which are 3,4-diaryl chromans. These compounds can be considered derivatives of 2,3,4 triphenyl butanol, where the hydroxy at the 1-position forms an ether with the ortho position of the phenyl group substituted at the 4-position of the butanol. The parent 3,4-diaryl chromans do not contain nitrogen atoms in the aromatic moieties or their linkers. A preferred compound, centchroman, contains a nitrogen substituent only in one of the substituents on a phenyl moiety. These compounds are disclosed in the ""040 patent as useful in the treatment of osteoporosis.
In addition, the PCT application WO97/15308 published May 1, 1997 describes a number of classes of compounds that are active in the screening assay described below and are useful in treating bone disorders. These compounds, generically, are of the formulae 
wherein Ra is a non-interfering substituent;
m is an integer of 0-4;
each dotted line represents an optional xcfx80-bond;
each Z is independently N, NR, O, S, CR or CR2, where each R is independently H or alkyl (1-6C);
X is O, S, SO or SO2;
L is a flexible linker; and
Ar2 is a substituted or unsubstituted 6-membered aromatic ring; or: 
wherein Ra is a non-interfering substituent,
n is an integer of 0 and 5;
L is a flexible linker which does not contain nitrogen or is a constrained linker; and
Ar2 is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl.
There remains a need for additional compositions which can ameliorate the effects of abnormalities in bone formation or resorption. The present invention expands the repertoire of compounds useful for limiting or treating bone deficit conditions, and for other uses that should be apparent to those skilled in the art from the teachings herein.
The invention provides compounds that can be administered as ordinary pharmaceuticals and have the metabolic effect of enhancing bone growth or inhibiting resorption. The compounds of the invention can be identified using an assay for their ability to activate control elements associated with bone anabolic factors. Thus, the invention is directed to methods and compositions for treating bone disorders, which methods and compositions use, as active ingredients, compounds wherein two aromatic systems are coupled so as to be spaced apart from each other by about 1.5 to about 15 Angstroms. The thus-linked systems (including the linker coupling them) preferably include at least one nitrogen atom.
Therefore, the compounds useful in the invention can be described as having the formula Ar1-linker-Ar2, wherein each of Ar1 and Ar2 is independently an aromatic system and the linker portion of the formula spaces Ar1 and Ar2 apart by a distance of approximately 1.5-15 Angstroms. Ar1, Ar2 and the linker may optionally be substituted with non interfering substituents. In the useful compounds, there is preferably at least one nitrogen atom in either AR1, Ar2 and/or the linker, independent of any substituents thereon. Preferably, the compounds of the invention contain at least one additional heteroatom selected from the group consisting of N, S and O, independent of any substituent.
Thus, in one aspect, the invention is directed to a method to treat a condition in a vertebrate animal characterized by a deficiency in, or need for, bone growth replacement and/or an undesirable level of bone resorption, which method comprises administering to a vertebrate subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of certain compounds of the formula:
Ar1xe2x80x94Lxe2x80x94Ar2
wherein each of Ar1 and Ar2 is independently substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic system containing a 6-membered heterocycle, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic system containing a 5-membered heterocycle; and
L is a linker that provides spacing of 1.5-15 xc3x85.
In other aspects, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions for use in the method, and to the compounds for use in preparing a medicament for use in the method.